Nose Rings
1850-1899 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Nose rings were part of women’s traditional jewellery in several Islamic countries. In Egypt as far south as the Sudan they were mainly worn by Bedouin rather than urban women, and their use almost certainly pre-dates the arrival of Islam.
These nose rings were described as from Fashoda, in central Sudan, when they were given to the Museum in 1911. They were said to be worn in the right nostril. Their plain crescent shape is similar to other nose and ear rings, made in both silver and gold, which were worn throughout the region of Nubia from southern Egypt to Sudan. Nose rings tend to have the break in the centre of the wire, whereas earrings have the break at one side, where the wire joins the flat part of the crescent.
These nose rings were described as from Fashoda, in central Sudan, when they were given to the Museum in 1911. They were said to be worn in the right nostril. Their plain crescent shape is similar to other nose and ear rings, made in both silver and gold, which were worn throughout the region of Nubia from southern Egypt to Sudan. Nose rings tend to have the break in the centre of the wire, whereas earrings have the break at one side, where the wire joins the flat part of the crescent.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Silver with ring punched and incised decoration |
| Brief description | Two silver nose rings with incised and punched decoration, Fashoda (Sudan), 1850-1899. |
| Physical description | Two silver crescent-shaped nose rings with a flat crescent and wire ends which almost touch in the centre. The flat part is decorated on the front with triangles filled with ring punching. |
| Credit line | Given by Jane Souter Hipkins |
| Summary | Nose rings were part of women’s traditional jewellery in several Islamic countries. In Egypt as far south as the Sudan they were mainly worn by Bedouin rather than urban women, and their use almost certainly pre-dates the arrival of Islam. These nose rings were described as from Fashoda, in central Sudan, when they were given to the Museum in 1911. They were said to be worn in the right nostril. Their plain crescent shape is similar to other nose and ear rings, made in both silver and gold, which were worn throughout the region of Nubia from southern Egypt to Sudan. Nose rings tend to have the break in the centre of the wire, whereas earrings have the break at one side, where the wire joins the flat part of the crescent. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.422&A-1911 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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